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Avoid
the Rejection Blues:
College
Admissions Is More Complicated Than You Think
by
Barbara Bellesi
For most people, April signals the return of warm
days and the start of baseball season. If you're
a high school senior, however, weather and sports
seem to go unchecked as you focus on one thing
only -- your mailbox.
The fact that April is a perpetually tumultuous
month for college-bound students is of little
comfort to those actually experiencing it. The
main lesson? Don't take those college acceptance
letters for granted. They're actually more complicated
than you think, so be prepared!
The
Numbers Game
There's no doubt that college admissions competition
is getting fiercer with each passing year. Some
say recognizing the absolute need for a college
degree to build successful careers has caused
the skyrocketing numbers. Others, like Susan Christian,
dean of enrollment at Rider University (Lawrenceville,
NJ), believe it's not so much desire as statistics
that have caused the increase in recent years
-- there are simply more high school students,
she says.
"The demographics have increased significantly
over the past six to eight years, and will continue
to increase in most regions of the country for
the next five to six years," says Christian.
The College Planning Network (www.collegeplan.org)
suggests a high school senior apply to at least
three colleges: One "reach" school, meaning that
the college's high standards will make admission
a challenge; another school that the student is
better suited for based on admission criteria;
and a third school to which the student is almost
certain of gaining admission, called a "safety
school."
In recent years, it's the almost-certain part
that's been causing sleepless nights for students
and parents alike.
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What
About When Others in Your School Heard Back,
But You Didn't?
A common problem high school
counselors experience each year is many
students with similar academic backgrounds
apply to the same school, with only some
of them gaining admittance. That's because,
depending on how a college wishes to diversify
the population that academic year -- such
as granting admission to more engineering
majors than theater majors, or accepting
more students from out of state than the
local community -- two students from the
same school may be one too many.
"You
never know what's in the minds and hearts
of colleges," says O'Rourke. For instance,
if a school admitted many students from
the Midwest last year, they might try to
focus on recruiting students from other
regions. Or, if this year's class has more
women than men, the school may attempt to
balance the gender gap the following year.
Joan
Krush, associate director of admissions
at Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), understands
the repercussions of such choices made by
her school. Her admissions staff, like that
of many other schools, takes measures to
ensure fair choices are made.
"As
a general rule, we continue to monitor all
the applicants from a particular high school.
We like to send a consistent message about
the type of applicant accepted at Lawrence,"
she says. Krush also states that in addition
to the regular review of applicants, final
decisions are delayed in order to convey
decisions to all the students applying from
one high school in roughly the same time
span.
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The college admission process used to be rather
logical in its scope, with strong academic transcripts
and high SAT scores a solid formula for getting
into a good school. With the application pool
growing each year, however, many institutions
are finding they have the luxury to select a more
diverse student population, based on other things
beyond the usual grades and extracurricular activities.
Just
Ask the Students...
George Esposito, a junior political science major
at Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA), recognizes
that even with a strong portfolio, admission to
college is, at best, a game of chance.
"The college admission process can be somewhat
of a crapshoot," he says. George recognizes the
quirkiness of the admissions process, even though
he was lucky to be admitted to one of his top-choice
schools.
"Some of the most highly qualified are denied
admission to schools they thought were a lock.
[Admission] is, many times, unpredictable," he
says.
To stay in the admissions game, students are
trying to improve their odds by applying to more
schools. George, who was student council president
in high school, as well as an excellent student,
applied to over a dozen colleges three years ago.
He feels this is a trend -- students and their
parents don't seem to mind spending hundreds of
extra dollars in application fees. "The number
of schools one should apply to [pertains] solely
to individual circumstances," says George.
Frank Walton, also a junior at Boston College,
was admitted to his first-choice school, but experienced
a surprise rejection letter from what he considered
to be his safety school. Even though the rejection
didn't matter in the long run, Frank says he was
"shocked" by the outcome. How was it possible
for him to be admitted to one of the most challenging
schools on his list, and then be rejected by a
lower-ranked institution? "It was definitely a
wake-up call," Frank says. "I didn't send out
many apps, either, and that was pretty risky."
Frank admits he was nonplussed by the failure
of his "Plan B." Although he recognizes that he
was fortunate to have his original plans for college
work out, he realizes now that because of the
fierce competition to get into college, it's possible
neither plan could have worked.
"I don't really want to think about what would
have happened if no one took me," he says.
What does all this mean? Good students like
Frank (or even you!) might find themselves scrambling
to put together a Plan C. The harsh reality, say
most guidance and admission counselors, is the
work from your freshman through junior years really
gets you admitted. So what can you do at this
stage of the game? Looking back on his own senior
year, Frank offers a glimmer of hope.
"To be pessimistic going into senior year is
pointless, but understandable if your academic
career was less than stellar," he says truthfully.
"However, I think if you apply to schools that
are the right fit for you, there's no reason not
to be optimistic."
How Can You Be Sure
You'll Fit?
There's that phrase again -- finding the right
fit. But that can mean vastly different things
for each applicant. Location, size, academics,
and campus life are just some of the elements
that go into your college decision. But while
a school fits into your vision, it's ultimately
up to the school to decide whether you fit into
their vision of the freshman class.
Your best bet is to assemble the strongest application
you possibly can, says Maureen O'Rourke, who's
helped students do just that for the past 20 years
at Mount Alvernia High School (Newton, MA). The
senior guidance counselor is good at what she
does; Mount Alvernia's college placement rate
has been 100 percent since 1986.
Beyond studying hard, warns O'Rourke, "students
need to demonstrate something that sets them apart
-- something that makes them unique -- from other
'good' students." Your life outside the actual
school building is a good way to express your
unique personality. Community service, theater
organizations, art classes -- even a colored belt
in karate -- could spark an admission committee's
interest in you, she adds. Work with your counselor
to draw out your "sense of commitment, responsibility,
and self-discipline," says O'Rourke, and let that
shine through on your apps.
Although it may seem tough, students ultimately
come out the winners. That's because colleges
and universities update and enhance their facilities
in order to attract the best and brightest. As
a result of colleges remaining competitive with
each other, your diploma will increase in value.
Ultimately, you'll find a school that is best
for you, and with hard work, that diploma will
be yours. So put your best foot forward -- maybe
letter time of your senior year won't be so bad
after all!
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